Vehicle centering system

ABSTRACT

An automated vehicle centering system for use with a transport mechanism in an automated parking facility comprising a rotatable platform for aligning a vehicle with a conveying direction of the transport mechanism; a plurality of weighing platforms on said rotatable platform for sensing a distribution of a weight of said vehicle on the tires of said vehicle; and a controller to calculate a center of weight for the tires based on said sensing and to determine a centerline of said vehicle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to automatic parking systems generally and to a vehicle centering system for use with automated parking systems in particular.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automated parking systems have increased in demand over the last 20 years as the number of automobiles continuously increase worldwide and land availability for parking spaces continuously decrease. This increased demand may be particularly felt in large cities, especially in urban centers, where land is frequently allocated for high-rise office and residential buildings which are occupied by large concentrations of people, many with vehicles, and limited space is allocated for parking purposes.

In an attempt to solve the limited parking space problem, multi-story parking structures able to accommodate a relatively large number of vehicles in each floor are frequently constructed. These multi-story parking structures are generally configured to allow vehicles to be driven through each floor by their drivers in search of a parking space. These “drive-through” parking structures frequently include facilities and equipment to support movement of people within the parking structure. For example, they may include relatively high-power illumination systems to allow drivers to see where they are going, or ventilation systems to remove vehicle exhaust gases and maintain suitable fresh air flow inside the structure. They may also include elevators for transporting the drivers between floors, stairs interconnecting the various floors, among other facilities and equipment.

Other types of multi-story parking structures may include automated parking facilities. Automated parking facilities generally eliminate the need for the vehicle to be driven through the structure. These types of facilities generally include parking slots in each floor into which a driverless vehicle is placed by an automated conveying system. The automated conveying system may also be used to remove the vehicle from the parking slot when the vehicle is returned to the driver. In automated parking facilities, drivers typically self-drive their vehicle into a vehicle positioning station where it may be accessed by a transport mechanism which is part of the automated conveyor system. The transport mechanism, which may include a shuttle car, an elevator, a crane, a movable platform, or any other type of equipment suitable for moving and/or lifting the vehicle, may load the vehicle and transport it to its respective parking place. An example of such a vehicle positioning station is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,676 to Colsman.

A potential advantage of automated parking facilities over drive-through parking structures is a substantial reduction in facilities and equipment required to support people as there is very limited people movement inside the facility (only where vehicles are received and returned to drivers). An additional potential advantage is that the overall parking area may be increased as ramps connecting the various floors are not required and a height between floors may be made substantially low, sufficient to accommodate a height of the vehicles. More information on automated parking facilities may be obtained at Applicant's website at www.unitronics.com.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

There is provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an automated vehicle centering system for use with a transport mechanism in an automated parking facility comprising a rotatable platform for aligning a vehicle with a conveying direction of the transport mechanism; a plurality of weighing platforms on the rotatable platform for sensing a distribution of a weight of the vehicle on the tires of the vehicle; and a controller to calculate a center of weight for the tires based on the sensing and to determine a centerline of the vehicle.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of weighing platforms comprises at least two weighing platforms.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the at least two weighing platforms comprises four weighing platforms.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, each of the four weighing platforms supports a different tire of the vehicle.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the automated vehicle centering system further comprises a plurality of load sensors to support the weighing platforms and to transmit the distribution of the weight of the vehicle to the controller.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of load sensors comprises at least two load sensors for supporting each weighing platform of the plurality of weighing platforms.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the at least two load sensors comprise three load sensors.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the at least two load sensors comprise four load sensors.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the automated vehicle centering system further comprises a motorized motion mechanism to impart rotary motion to the rotatable platform responsive to a control signal from the controller.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the automated vehicle centering system further comprises an interface module for interfacing the controller with the transport mechanism.

There is provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of aligning a centerline of a vehicle with a conveying direction of a transport mechanism in an automated parking facility, the method comprising measuring a distributed weight of the vehicle on each tire; determining a position of each tire based on the distributed weight; and calculating the centerline of the vehicle based on the determining of the position of each tire.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises rotating the vehicle until the centerline is aligned with the conveying direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises calculating a travel distance between the vehicle centerline and the conveying direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises determining a center of weight for each tire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle centering system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an automated parking facility with a vehicle in an exemplary vehicle positioning station, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically illustrate a rotatable platform in the vehicle positioning system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an exemplary situation where a vehicle is left by a driver on the rotatable platform in a position diverging from a conveying direction axis, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary method of automatically aligning a vehicle in a vehicle positioning station with a conveying direction in a transport mechanism in an automated conveyor system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention.

Automated parking facilities generally require that a driver self-drive into a vehicle positioning station and position the vehicle so that it is properly aligned with respect to a transport mechanism. This generally entails aligning a center longitudinal axis (centerline) of the vehicle with a direction of conveyance of the transport mechanism and which may include the centerline of the transport mechanism. Frequently, drivers must repeatedly move the vehicle, adjusting its position until the vehicle and the transport mechanism are properly aligned.

To assist a driver position the vehicle, the vehicle positioning station is frequently equipped with guiding mechanisms. These may include guide barriers on each side of the vehicle so that the vehicle is properly aligned when positioned between the barriers; markings on the floor of the station such as, for example, lines and arrow, that may be followed by the driver; and electronic means including sensors and display means that may be used to guide the driver, and may include guiding lights and/or a computer display. Regardless of the type of guiding mechanism, vehicle positioning stations generally require driver participation in the vehicle alignment process, which may be time consuming and a burden both for the driver and for an operator of the automated parking facility.

Applicants have devised a vehicle centering system which may allow driver-less alignment of the vehicle with a conveying direction of the transport mechanism irrespective of an initial position of the vehicle in the vehicle positioning station. In a three-step automatic process, the vehicle centering system automatically determines an orientation of the vehicle on a rotatable (positioning) platform by (1) determining a location of each vehicle tire on the rotatable platform by sensing the distribution of the weight of the vehicle on each tire and calculating a center of weight of the tire, (2) determining a centerline of the vehicle based on the location of the vehicle tires, and (3) rotating the rotatable platform so that the vehicle's centerline coincides with the conveying direction of the transport mechanism.

Applicants have realized that the vehicle centering system may provide a more efficient alternative to existing systems requiring driver intervention, allowing vehicles to be moved in and out from automated parking facilities at a faster rate. This may potentially increase profitability of the automated parking facility (as more vehicles may be handled over a same period of time) while reducing possible user discomfort due to repeated adjusting of the vehicle's position by reducing user intervention in the alignment process.

Applicants have further realized that the principles of the vehicle centering system described herein may be equally applicable to other fields not related to vehicular parking/storage and which may involve automatically adjusting a position of an item to allow its centerline to coincide with a conveying direction of a transport mechanism or a grasping mechanism (mechanism to grasp the item). A person skilled in the art may realize that applications may include any type of automatic storage system which may include an automatic conveying system, automatic machining systems, and automatic package handling systems, among much other type of systems.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which schematically illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle centering system 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Vehicle centering system 100 may be included in an automated vehicle conveying system 20 which may be used in an automated parking facility 10.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, vehicle centering system 100 may include a controller 110; a plurality of load sensors 120; a motorized motion mechanism 130 which may include, for example, a motorized motion mechanism; a rotatable platform 140; and an interface module 150. Vehicle centering system 100 is configured to determine a position of a vehicle resting on rotatable platform 140 by sensing a distribution of the weight of the vehicle on each of the tires and determining the center of weight of each tire, and to adjust a position of the rotatable platform so as to bring a center line of the vehicle into directional alignment with a conveying direction of a transport mechanism in automated vehicle conveying system 20. Vehicle centering system 100 may be further configured to determine the weight of the vehicle for controlling access of the vehicle into automated parking facility 10. For example, vehicle centering system 100 may interface with control systems in automated parking facility 10 to restrict access if the weight of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined limit, say 3000 kg, or to restrict parking to specific floors in automated parking facility 10, or to select an appropriate automatic vehicle conveying system 20 suitable to handle the weight of the vehicle.

Load sensors 120 are included as part of a weighing system implemented on rotatable platform 140 and are configured to sense the distribution of the weight of the vehicle on each tire while resting on rotatable platform 140 and to transmit this information to controller 110. Load sensors 120 may be distributed on rotatable platform 140 into groups of one or more sensors, for example, 2 sensors, 3 sensors, 4 sensors, or more, where each group senses the weight distribution on a specific tire. For example, load sensors 120 may be divided into four groups, each group sensing the weight distribution on a different tire (one group for each tire). Alternatively, load sensors 120 may be divided into two groups of one or more sensors where one group senses the weight distribution on the front two tires while the second group senses the weight on the rear two tires. Alternatively, the two groups of load sensors 120 may be distributed so that one group senses the weight of the tires on the left side of the vehicle and the other group on the right side of the vehicle. According to an embodiment of the invention, a position of each tire on the vehicle may be determined by knowing the position on rotatable platform 140 of each load sensor 120 in a group, the distributed weight of the vehicle sensed by the group and the portion of the distributed weight sensed by each sensor in the group. With this information, a center of weight may be calculated for each tire. A computation of the position of each tire within each group may then be easily determined using techniques known in the art which may include, for example, calculations involving Statics to determine the center of weight of each tire.

Controller 110 may be configured to process the weight information received from load sensors 120 and may calculate the overall weight of the vehicle and the position of each tire in the vehicle. Additionally, controller 110 may use the tire positioning information to calculate the centerline of the vehicle. Additionally, controller 110 may calculate a distance over which rotatable platform 140 may be rotated to directionally align the vehicle's centerline with the conveying direction of the transport mechanism. This distance may be calculated as an angular distance, a linear distance, and/or a sectorial distance.

Controller 110 may be additionally configured to control motorized motion mechanism 130 responsive to the weight information received from load sensors 120. Motorized motion mechanism 130 may drive rotatable platform 140 and may cause the rotatable platform to rotate over the calculated distance responsive to control signals received from controller 110. The control signals may be continuously sent, or alternatively periodically sent at predetermined intervals, from controller 110 to motorized motion mechanism 130. The control signal may be sent from controller 110 to motorized motion mechanism 130 over wireless and/or wired means.

Controller 110 may be additionally configured to control access of a vehicle to automated parking facility 10. Controller 110 may connect through interface module 150 to a main controller (not shown) in automated vehicle conveying system 20 responsible for controlling the transport mechanism. The connection between interface module 150 and the main controller may be through wired and/or wireless means. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, controller 110 may be the main controller in automated vehicle conveying system 20, configured to control the vehicle conveying system including vehicle centering system 100.

Reference is now also made to FIG. 2 which schematically illustrates an automated parking facility 10 with a vehicle 30 in an exemplary vehicle positioning station 160, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Automated parking facility 10 may include a parking structure 15 including parking slots (not shown) for accommodating vehicle 30 using automated vehicle conveying system 20. Transport mechanism 40 may include a shuttle car which may be slid under vehicle 30 when vehicle centerline 35 is aligned with transport mechanism center line 45 (as shown), and which may lift the vehicle for moving it from vehicle positioning station 160 to an empty parking slot in structure 15. Additionally, shuttle car 40 may be used to return vehicle 30 from the parking slot to vehicle positioning station 160. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, transport mechanism 40 may include a crane, a lift, an elevator, a movable platform, a conveyor, or any other type of equipment suitable for moving and/or lifting vehicle 30 and transporting it to its respective parking slot in structure 15.

Vehicle positioning station 160 may house some or all of the components of vehicle centering system 100, for example, rotatable platform 140 including load sensors 120. Vehicle positioning station 160 may be configured to receive vehicle 30 which may be driven into the vehicle positioning station by its driver and left resting on rotatable platform 140 in any position.

Reference is now also made to FIGS. 3A and 3B which schematically illustrate rotatable platform 140 in vehicle positioning system 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Rotatable platform 140 includes a deck 142 having a central vehicle positioning bay 144 with entry/exit ramps 158 on opposing ends through which a vehicle may enter and leave the vehicle positioning bay.

Rotatable platform 140 further includes, as shown in FIG. 3A on vehicle positioning bay 144, four weighing platforms 146 on which vehicle 30 may be positioned so that each vehicle tire rests different weighing platform (one tire per weighing platform). Alternatively to four weighing platforms 146 as shown, positioning bay 144 may have two weighing platforms and may be oriented so that the front tires of vehicle 30 rest on one weighing platform while the rear tires rest on the other weighing platform, or alternatively, so that the tires on the left side of the vehicle rest on one weighting platform while those on the right side rest on the second weighing platform. Separating between the weighing platforms 146 which accommodate the front tires and the rear tires of vehicle 30 may be platform separation decks 156, although a skilled person may realize that such platform separation decks may not be necessary and that the area covered by them may be covered by weighing platforms 146. Alternatively, positioning bay 144 may have three weighing platforms and may be oriented so that the front tires of vehicle 30 rest on one weighing platform while the rear tires rest each rest on a separate weighing platform, or alternatively, so that the rear tires of vehicle 30 rest on one weighing platform while the front tires rest each rest on a separate weighing platform. Each weighing platform 146 is supported by a group of load sensors 120 mounted at predetermined locations, for example by a group of 3 sensors as shown in FIG. 3B. Each sensor 120 in each group of sensors senses a portion of the weight of vehicle 30 distributed through the tire resting on weighing platform 146 and transmits the weight information to controller 110 for processing. A position of each tire on each weighing platform 146 may be determined based on the weight information transmitted by each load sensor 120 in each group of sensors and its location relative to the other load sensors in the group, so that the center of weight may be determined for each tire.

Rotatable platform 140 additionally includes a plurality of wheels 154, as shown in FIG. 3B, for rotating the rotatable platform for aligning vehicle centerline 35 with the conveying direction of transport mechanism 40. Wheels 154 may support rotatable platform 140 together with vehicle 30 so that the number of wheels used, their type, and their size, as may be realized by a skilled person, may be determined by the loading characteristics of the rotatable platform and the vehicle. The skilled person may also realize that other mechanical means may be used to support and/or to move the platform additionally or alternatively to wheels 154. Wheels 154 may form part of motorized motion mechanism 130 and may be hidden under deck 142 by wheel access covers 152. Rotatable platform 140 may additionally include access doors 150 to allow personnel associated with automated parking facility 10 to access an underside of rotatable platform 140 for maintenance and other purposes.

Reference is now also made to FIG. 4 which schematically illustrates an exemplary situation where vehicle 30 is left by a driver on rotatable platform 140 in a position diverging from the conveying direction axis 50, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Vehicle centering system 100 may detect the position of the tires on vehicle 30 through load sensors 120 supporting weighing platforms 146, which transmit the acquired weight information to controller 110. Controller 110 may use the received information from load sensors 120 to determine vehicle centerline 35 and to determine an angle of rotation a through which rotatable platform 140 may be rotated to align the vehicle's centerline with the direction of conveyance, axis 50. Additionally or alternatively, controller 110 may determine a time of rotation based on a drive speed of motorized motion mechanism 130. Additionally or alternatively, controller 110 may rotate rotatable platform 140 and may track the relative position of vehicle 30 through position tracking sensors for determining when the vehicle centerline 35 is aligned with the direction of conveyance, axis 50.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5 which illustrates a flow graph of an exemplary method of automatically aligning a vehicle in a vehicle positioning station with a conveying direction in a transport mechanism in an automated conveyor system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. For convenience in describing the method, reference will be made to vehicle centering system 100 and to automated conveyor system 20. It is noted that a skilled person may realize that the method may be carried out in other ways, and which may include using more or less steps, or a different sequence of steps, or any combination thereof.

At 500, the position of each tire of vehicle 30 resting on a weighing platform 146 may be determined. Each load sensor 120 in each group of sensors supporting weighing platforms 146 transmits weight information to controller 110. The weight information includes the portion of the weight of the vehicle distributed through each tire and sensed by the sensor. Controller 110 may use computational techniques known in the art, for example Statics calculations, to determine the position of a tire on a weighing platform by determining the weight sensed by each sensor in a group and the relative location of each sensor to the other sensors in the group, and determining a center of weight of the tire. Controller 110 may additionally determine the total weight of vehicle 30.

At 502, vehicle centerline 35 is determined by controller 110 once the position of all four tires on vehicle 30 has been determined. Alternatively, if only two weighing platforms are used, for example a front and a rear weighing platform, or a left side and a right side weighing platform, vehicle centerline 35 may be determined by calculating the center of weight of the two rear tires on the rear weighing platform, and of the two front tires on the front weighting platform, and determining an intersecting line between these rear and forward centers of weight. A similar calculation may be performed for left side and right side weighing platforms.

At 504, directional alignment of vehicle 30 is performed by rotating rotatable platform 140 until vehicle centerline 35 directionally aligns with conveying direction axis 50. The rotation distance or angle may have been previously determined at 500 or 502. In alternate embodiments of the present invention, the rotation distance or angle may be calculated real-time by controller 110 based on detection information continuously, or periodically, received from position tracking sensors.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the preceding discussions, it is appreciated that, throughout the specification, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” or the like, refer to the action and/or processes of a computer, computing system, or similar electronic computing device that manipulates and/or transforms data represented as physical, such as electronic, quantities within the computing system's registers and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computing system's memories, registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

Embodiments of the present invention may include apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the desired purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of disk, including floppy disks, optical disks, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), compact disc read-only memories (CD-ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), electrically programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable and programmable read only memories (EEPROMs), magnetic or optical cards, Flash memory, or any other type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions and capable of being coupled to a computer system bus.

The processes and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct a more specialized apparatus to perform the desired method. The desired structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description below. In addition, embodiments of the present invention are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein.

While certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An automated vehicle centering system for use with a transport mechanism in an automated parking facility comprising: a rotatable platform for aligning a vehicle with a conveying direction of the transport mechanism; a plurality of weighing platforms on said rotatable platform for sensing a distribution of a weight of said vehicle on the tires of said vehicle; and a controller to calculate a center of weight for the tires based on said sensing and to determine a centerline of said vehicle.
 2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of weighing platforms comprises at least two weighing platforms.
 3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said at least two weighing platforms comprises four weighing platforms.
 4. A system according to claim 3 wherein each of said four weighing platforms supports a different tire of said vehicle.
 5. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of load sensors to support said weighing platforms and to transmit said distribution of said weight of said vehicle to said controller.
 6. A system according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of load sensors comprises at least two load sensors for supporting each weighing platform of said plurality of weighing platforms.
 7. A system according to claim 6 wherein said at least two load sensors comprise three load sensors.
 8. A system according to claim 6 wherein said at least two load sensors comprise four load sensors.
 9. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a motorized motion mechanism to impart rotary motion to said rotatable platform responsive to a control signal from said controller.
 10. A system according to claim 1 further comprising an interface module for interfacing said controller with the transport mechanism.
 11. A method of aligning a centerline of a vehicle with a conveying direction of a transport mechanism in an automated parking facility, the method comprising: measuring a distributed weight of the vehicle on each tire; determining a position of each tire based on said distributed weight; and calculating the centerline of the vehicle based on said determining of said position of each tire.
 12. A method according to claim 11 further comprising rotating the vehicle until the centerline is aligned with the conveying direction.
 13. A method according to claim 11 further comprising calculating a travel distance between the vehicle centerline and the conveying direction.
 14. A method according to claim 11 further comprising determining a center of weight for each tire. 